A Debt Unpaid

San Amaro Investigations #0.75

by Kai Butler

Parker Ferro has a problem. The PI's last job ended with him in the hills of San Amaro, presumed dead. He’s back with only one thing on his mind: vengeance. Now if only the attractive Paranormal Crimes detective who wants to arrest him will get out of the way…

A Debt Unpaid is a 18k MM urban fantasy short.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fae

63 pages, ebook

First published August 26, 2021

About the author

Kai has been reading and writing romance novels since she was a teenager. She lives in California with her two children and her very supportive husband.

She writes M/M romance with an emphasis on HEAs and all the feels. Her current series are San Amaro Investigations and the Imperial Space Regency Novels. She likes dashing heroes and couples with banter.

Reviews

[Drusilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was a funny and creepy short story. A bit too repetitive, but it didn't really bother me. Overall maybe a little worse than the first story. But in any case, interesting to learn how King and Parker deal with the difficult situation they're in.

“This feels a little familiar,” I said. “You know, if you wanted to date without a chaperone, you just had to ask.”
“That easy?” he asked.
“Yeah. You wouldn’t even have to buy me dinner.” The look I sent him was suggestive, and he laughed. “In all seriousness, we have to stop meeting like this. It’s not good for my heart.” ☺️💗☺️

[Fae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know that the author says that the short stories don't have any details necessary to understanding the plot, but personally, I think it's crucial to read A Haunting at Midwinter and A Debt Unpaid before reading Wormwood Summer. When I first read Wormwood Summer, I thought that Nick and Parker got together weirdly quickly for having seemingly barely met/talked, but these short stories give you all the background knowledge and chemistry for their getting together in Wormwood Summer.

I loved this short, and I especially loved getting to see a little more into the magic system, especially what a vindictive fae looks like when a contract has been broken.

[GeishaX · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8 Stars
As a second prequelish short story to the San-Amaro-investigations-Series "A Debt unpaid" wasn't exactly bad - but it it wasn't exactly necessary. We don't really learn anything new in this story that wasn't already covered by the first prequel.

The story itself started as a criminal plot that went nowhere (because the culprit had fled) and turned into a monster-hunt. As I said it was an okay short story/novella but not really as satisfactory as the first prequel and far from as captivating as the first real book of the series. It probably doesn't help that I am generally not a big fan of short stories and novellas.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short stumbles its way in already mid story, as Ferro is dragging himself back from almost being murdered. There is definitely a story there (namely how did the guy survive when he was buried and everything?) but what this short is following is his quest for revenge. However this puts him very much on the opposite side of the law despite the fact that his former boss that he wants revenge upon is also a criminal. Breaking into the house sets him on the opposite side of King, who is now a detective in the paranormal crimes unit, making it even more dangerous for the two to be anywhere near each other. But just as they find themselves as odds strange things are once again happening forcing them to rely on each other. There is some further reveals about Ferro's powers, what they rely on and how they work, which will evidently be a major part of the series. There is also a little tease that King's powers may be a bit special too, which would be very intriguing. There is lots of chemistry between this pair but the continues instances of being on opposite sides of each other are sure to cause some strife in the series. A very intriguing short to lead into the series!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, the minimal gross factor did NOT apply to this short story... grrr

I am not a huge fan of ripping, squashing, or splatting... and this story has all of that and more, but if those things don't bother you? Read on! LOL!!!

Now that I have taken care of the two shorts leading up to it, I can jump into Wormwood Summer just as soon as time permits!

[dameolga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys, you already know I'm going to lap up any story with Parker and Nick, and I eagerly read through this short story after realizing she had released it several weeks ago here.

Butler finally fills us in on the second meeting between the two MCs AKA the "Nick-arresting-Parker" debacle much-referenced in books 1 and 2. I know several readers felt like they were supposed to have read the two prequels before reading the first book, but I actually think I preferred reading the first book Wormwood Summer first because I had a better understanding of the worldbuilding and magic system to appreciate the events in A Haunting at Midwinter and A Debt Unpaid.

Butler does short stories/novellas really well. I'm quite satisfied with the action-packed prequel that provides us with a new glimpse of Nick and Parker before all the even crazier stuff happens. This is another must-read if you're a fan of the Butler's Sam Amaro Investigations series. I cannot wait for the third book A Gilded Iron Blade to come out in January!

[circexin · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am very intrigued by this series! specifically with how the magic system works in this urban fantasy world. can’t wait to start on the main books in the series!

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A DEBT UNPAID is another introductory novella for the SAN AMARO INVESTIGATIONS series and we see Parker and his love interest Nick working together again, this time to defeat a giant spider. There's a little bit more about the world added as we see Parker trying to hide his unusual magic. I can't wait to read book one and really see these two interact.

[SFBookReviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Debt Unpaid is another intro short story to the San Amaro Investigation series. The series is a paranormal mm romance full of fae, werewolves, vampires, dragons, witches, alchemists, sentient rocks, and plants. The book is fast-paced, exciting, and full of magic. The book is full of snark and mystery and very well written. Overall a really great book and I can't wait to read more of the series.

[KJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun read! This novella started as a serial story via newsletters and in some places that shows. However, it serves the purpose it was written for: give readers who already love Parker and Nick a chance to read more about them. While this one did leave a couple of hanging questions I feel weren't answered (re: the title isn't fully explained), the whole thing was still a true joy to read. Again, I still recommend reading this after you've read the series. It's so much more fun that way!



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes!


See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Same as before, I adore these characters and we'll just get more of the same characters we end up loving in the main series. Parker's character voice is truly one of my favorites! And I adore seeing the how inventive he is with how he uses his magic to solve problems. It's so fascinating in the series and we see it here as well!



PLOT: Another 'trapped in a house together' plot, except this one isn't supernatural! Nick is there as a detective, Parker is there because the owner betrayed him and attempted to murder him. They're both looking for the man for different reasons only to find he's moved out and left a very large eight-legged present to stop trespassers. So Nick and Parker once again need to work together to overcome it and get out.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

1:5/low. Again, not meant to be anything high! It's a fun novella that gives us more of watching our favorites in action.




CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?

75%. As mentioned, the main question didn't get answered and I was definitely hoping for that. But everything else was exactly what I was expecting: time with my favorite boys.

[Gail Overholt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my review of A Haunting at Midwinter, I wondered if we'd learn King's first name in A Debt Unpaid. Nope, we don't. For our purposes, his first name is changed from "Officer" to "Detective."

And therein is one of the reasons this story gets a 3½-star rating (rounded up to 4). In the real world, King wouldn't become a detective through a "promotion." He'd have to apply for it and take an exam. And possibly some other stuff. Yes, I know this is a fantasy with a ton of magic. But sometimes it helps to ground your fantasy in reality where you can. Otherwise, people like me will nitpick it.

The other reason for the downgraded rating: giant spiders. Apparently I'm more a fan of ghosts than of giant spiders. And the spider stuff just kept getting worse, which gave me the "sqick" factor.

There are still plenty of questions left at the end of the story, so I’m hoping they will continue throughout the series. I know the gangster Derek McCallum is mentioned in Wormwood Summer, but Parker’s involvement is still a mystery. So I'm ready for more!

[the kevin (vaguely alive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as part of a giveaway, and I didn't realize it was book 2.5 of a series I hadn't read. Apparently I'm bad at reading.

Regardless, this worked just fine as a standalone. I did have the feeling of being dropped into a world, but...I was. At book 2.5. The world and the characters were introduced very well, enough so I knew what was going on but left with many questions (presumably answered in the full books). The plot was fun, and I appreciated that it was wrapped up neatly at the end. I don't know the plots of the full length books, but it felt like the main external reference was the prequel novella 0.5.

Overall, one of the better novellas I've read in a while. I will definitely be reading full books by this author.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick prequel read

This is another prequel to the series, this time a short story. Parker runs into King again, his time as Parker is breaking into a house with murderous intent for the man who left him for dead in a shallow grave. King catches him and places him under arrest for B&E however before they can get any further there are much bigger problems to deal with.

I love this author’s style of writing. It’s entertaining and has a very effective way of conveying the emotions they want you to feel. The story ends in a way that lets us know we’ve got more coming in book one. I’m diving in right now!

[Kristi Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast Action

This is one of two novellas that take place before book one of the San Amaro Investigations Series. The sexual tension between King and Ferro is already raring its head. This novella was fast moving and suspenseful. It had some quite humorous moments arising from Ferro’s morbid fear of spiders. Both novellas stress that the magic Ferro practices is forbidden and needs to be kept under wraps for his safety, while not saying precisely what it is. This leave a mystery to be solved; it certainly left me wanting more.

[Steven · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as the books in the series

While I love most of a Butler’s books this novella was a complete failure for me. Not so much the story (a bit pedantic, but I realize the restrictions of writing a much shorter piece than normal can be an issue), but more so the obvious grammatical errors and just plain sloppy editing. Such a disappointment. If this is your first jump into the San Amaro universe, don’t let this novella dissuade you from reading the series. They are MUCH better.

[Abi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one kinda dragged too much imo. I started scanning after 20%. And in the end he didn't even get his revenge on Derek. Just fought a spider and bonded some more with King. Not that that's bad but you know... he was beaten and buried. Huh, that leads me to wonder, did they assume they killed him and he came back alive? Argh.. I do not want to go off on another tangent that I'll never get answered.

Anyway!! This one was meh and it gets only 1.5 stars.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of spiders. Gross spiders! Ewwww. But I see the setup for the upcoming series and this was a cute short. I thought this was the first one and references were made to that book so I'd better go back to read it but this couple - the witch or mage and the detective alchemist/magic user - look like they are going to become one of those MC couples we can't get enough of. Looking forward to seeing how this shapes up.

[Jesslan Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Debt Unpaid
By Kai Butler

It's a short paranormal mystery-ish story. Not really a genre I like, but I tried it anyway hoping for the best and wound up disappointed. If I'd read the beginning of the series before this one I might have liked it better as I was clearly missing past information about the MC's.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely recommend reading these shorts as part of the series. Not only does Kai know how to write a great short, but this one in particular really adds more to Parker and Nick’s relationship. There’s some fun flirting and getting to know each other while they deal with a dangerous magical creature. I loved it!

[E.Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love Parker's magic and reading this one reminded me of how much I loved the prequel and book 1. I'm so looking forward to a book 1 re-read so I can jump into books 2 and 3.

I did feel bad for that spider though. Yes, it was big. And yes, it would have killed them. But still, that poor thing!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second Novella in the Amaro Investigations Series. Here we get a little of the background on Parker's history with Mcullum, and this is the first time he works with Nick. Nick knows nothing about Parker being a 'Fae' in disguise.

I recommend reading this, as it offers additional information before the main series begins.

[MariF · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate spiders but loved this story. I don't know how it got to be #2.5 in the series when events are happening between A Haunting at Midwinter and Wormwood Summer.
Now I get the reference about Parker's arrest which was mentioned but not explained in the consequent books.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyedthis short story only gave 4 stars because I felt like I was missing some of the story. I was left feeling like I started in the middle and left in the middle of a book. Still I enjoyed the part I read. I am looking forward to now reading the actual books.

[She Who Shall Remain Nameless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy!

It’s always nice to return to San Amaro with Nick and Parker. Even though I read this short novella (50 minutes) back when it was released to the author’s newsletter subscribers, I enjoyed the reread just as much.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I've read this before, but obviously the dates were eaten by something... Now that I'm at the last book, it was fascinating to go back to a time when no one knew exactly how Parker's magic worked.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started Wormwood Summer and really felt like I was missing something in Parker and Nick's relationship and realized there were two prequel novellas. This was fine but more importantly helped put their relationship into more perspective in the main novel.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another little slice of Parker and King bumping into each other in exceptional circumstances. I am loving these little insights into their lives before they get together. This one was especially creepy, but still fun.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This takes place before Wormwood Summer. It was nice to see Parker and Nick again even if they were dealing with giant spiders. I could feel their chemistry.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of a series. A complete event on its own, but not a stand alone in terms of characterization.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, fans of this series! If you suffer arachnophobia, this one might not be for you. Everyone else? Sign up for Kai Butler's newsletter and get this story free. :)